Virat Kohli’s emotional walk back after a second successive duck at Adelaide left the crowd in stunned silence as Xavier Bartlett dismantled India’s top order.
In what came as a shocking moment for Indian fans, Virat Kohli’s stay at the crease ended abruptly at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday, as the Indian batting icon was trapped lbw by Xavier Bartlett for a four-ball duck in the second ODI against Australia.
Coming into the game after a rare golden duck in Perth, Kohli was expected to redeem himself at one of his favourite grounds, a venue that has witnessed some of his most defining knocks. However, Bartlett, who had already dismissed captain Shubman Gill earlier in the over, produced a near-perfect delivery that jagged back sharply into Kohli’s pads, leaving the former India captain stunned.
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The dismissal silenced the Adelaide crowd, who had risen to their feet to welcome Kohli, anticipating another masterclass. Instead, they watched in disbelief as the 36-year-old took the long walk back, glancing briefly at the pitch before raising his bat lightly towards the applauding Indian fans. Watch the clip below:
It was an emotional moment, not just a wicket but a reminder of how even the best can falter in the twilight of their careers. For Kohli, who has scripted countless memories at this ground, this exit felt unusually quiet. The man who once owned Adelaide’s stage walked away with nothing on the board, his expression reflecting the weight of the moment.
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As India slipped to 17 for 2 in 6.5 overs, courtesy of Bartlett’s fiery new-ball spell, it marked one of the rarest instances in Kohli’s glittering ODI career, back-to-back ducks, both on Australian soil. The crowd that once roared his name stood still, perhaps realising they had just witnessed a rare silence in the story of Virat Kohli and Adelaide Oval.
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